Last night, it emerged he has a history of financial disputes and bed-hopping adventures. In one episode, his affair with a married blonde ended in acrimony when she cheated on him with another married man.

He said Rachel Leigh destroyed his life after he gave her presents worth £100,000 – including a replica of Princess Diana’s wedding ring.

Yesterday police told of the shooting horror at the offices of Morris, Goddard and Ward.

He’s just such a lovely man. The whole family is lovely. It is such a shock

A neighbour

Det Chief Insp Ian Saunders of Wiltshire Police said a man walked in and fired one shot at Mr Ward and then drove off. Armed police made their arrest in the nearby village of Rowde and recovered a sawn-off shotgun. The ­suspect was taken to Melksham police station to be questioned on suspicion of attempted murder.

Four staff were in the office at the time. Two members of the public, including an off-duty paramedic, rushed to the aid of Mr Ward.

He was airlifted to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol where last night he was said to be in a very serious condition. Det Chief Insp Saunders refused to discuss possible motives for the shooting but confirmed Mr Ward knew the gunman.

A neighbour at Mr Ward’s large red-brick farmhouse in Westbury, Wilts, said: “He’s just such a lovely man. The whole family is lovely. It is such a shock.”

Mr Chudleigh, who lives in Rowde, was said by neighbours to be a Ferrari driver who is notorious for his nine-year affair with Mrs Leigh.

After it ended five years ago, he told how they would meet up after her husband went to work. He said: “Rachel was the love of my life. I left my former partner for her. I left my house for her. I left everything for her – but she has left me in bits.

“I even proposed to her in Winchester Cathedral and gave her an £8,000 sapphire engagement ring, which was a copy of Princess Diana’s engagement ring. But all my dreams are shattered. I hate her guts now.”

A neighbour said Mr Chudleigh was recently evicted from his home. “He was kicked out of his house at the end of April – he was evicted by the mortgage company,” he said.

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